Archives for April 2018

One of the most compelling studies I learned about in the recent Electrosmog Rx course (hosted by Nick Pineault) is the study by Trevor Marshall, MD and Trudy Heil, RN: Electrosmog and autoimmune disease. In this study, 90% of the participants – all with an autoimmune diagnosis of either arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, sjogrens or celiac disease – reported improved symptoms as a result of wearing silver-threaded EMF protective caps.

The paper provides a good overview from NASA on what electrosmog is i.e. all the electromagnetic waves we’re exposed to on a daily basis:

As you sit watching TV, not only are there visible light waves from the TV striking your eyes, but also radio waves, transmitting from a nearby station, and microwaves carrying cellphone calls and text messages, and waves from your neighbor’s WiFi, and GPS units in the cars driving by. There is a chaos of waves from all across the spectrum passing through your room right now.

Patients who were participating in Dr. Marshall’s autoimmune/VDR/electrosmog research were purchasing commercially available shielded clothing and tenting on their own from retailers and reporting symptom improvements:

This clothing typically has silver-coated polyester threads interwoven with the supporting fabric so that the garment is capable of partially blocking microwave Electrosmog.

Fig. 5: A X20 micrograph of a microwave-blocking fabric woven with a mesh of silver-coated polyester strands among the supporting bamboo fibers (Electrosmog and autoimmune disease)

Because there were frequent anecdotal reports of symptom improvement, especially when their brain and brain stem were “shielded” during sleep, Dr. Marshall and his team decided to create a standardized sleeping cap so the EMF shielding effect could be easily analyzed and optimized.

Study participants wore the cap once for 4 hours during sleeping and once for 4 hours during normal activity. The results were impressive, with 90 % of the 64 patients reporting a “Definite” or “Strong” change in their symptoms.

The authors share that those with an autoimmune condition seem to be predisposed to Electrosmog hypersensitivity (now being called EHS) at levels currently existing in typical home and work environments. They suggest the following:

effective control of environmental Electrosmog immunomodulation may soon become necessary for successful therapy of autoimmune disease.

Caution does need to be exercised as some people can feel worse when going from being bombarded by EMFs on a daily basis to much less exposure. This could almost be considered a Herxheimer reaction and is described in the paper as follows:

When the Electrosmog in a patient’s environment is reduced, the immune system tends to become more active. This may result in immunopathology. Indeed, some patients have reported a surge in disease symptoms, occasionally an intolerable surge, after WiFi routers and cell phones have been switched off in their homes. Others have reported that travel to a very quiet area, such as a remote canyon, caused a surge in their immune symptoms.

This is something that Dr. Klinghardt finds when working with his patients and the authors agree that we need a plan on how best to address this. I can attest to this personally – I have discovered that I have Electrosmog hypersensitivity – and as I have started to mitigate my own EMF exposure I’ve had to be careful.

This proposed go-slow EMF mitigation plan includes:

the basic foundational work based on my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” and the material on my blog

and only then removal of EMF sources, EMF-protective clothing, grounding and devices such as pendants, and supporting specific symptoms such as increased insomnia/anxiety

working with a knowledgeable functional medicine practitioner if heavy metals are being stirred up and are causing worse symptoms (Dr. Klinghardt reports this to be a common issue).

reducing some of the support nutrients once EMF mitigation is in place and the ‘herxheimer’ reaction is over, adding them back when you know you’ll be exposed to WiFi i.e. during travel and when ill or during times of stress

I’ll be sharing more about my journey and my detailed proposed go-slow EMF mitigation plan with links to research in a future blog.

Going back to the study – we are still learning more about what this may all mean for someone with an autoimmune disease. The results are clearly very powerful and the benefits wonderful. But for me this study is so promising on many other levels because it shows that:

EMFs can and do have an adverse impact on health and this adds to the growing body of evidence (despite this research and many more studies, the dangers of EMFs are not common knowledge)

we have control and can do something about the adverse effects of EMFs

those of us with less severe symptoms but still sensitive to EMFs, can also hopefully expect to see some improvements when mitigation approaches like this are implemented

I write about how Wi-Fi is an important threat to human health and may contribute to unresolved anxiety, SIBO, oxalate issues and high cortisol. This is just the tip of the iceberg and it’s something we all need to be taking seriously.

I’d love to hear from you. How concerned are you about EMFs and what changes have you made? Did you experience a Herxheimer reaction when reducing EMF exposure and what helped you?

Some of my simple tips for worry were shared in the April edition of Women’s World so here they are for you to enjoy in case you didn’t see them in the magazine. I’m quite chuffed to see it’s for a piece called “Ask America’s Ultimate Experts.”

I share tips about the benefits of a B- complex vitamin (for adrenal support), vitamin B6 (especially for PMS-type anxiety and worry, the calming amino acid called GABA, plus the mood-boosting and calming benefits of a grass-fed burger (loaded with zinc, iron and omega-3s) and pumpkin seeds as a snack (because they’re rich in both tryptophan and zinc)

The daily doses of pyridoxine hydrochloride varied from 40 to 100 mg early in the study and from 120 to 200 mg in the later period of the investigations. The response to treatment was recorded as good (no significant residual complaints) in 40 per cent or more of patients taking 100-150 mg pyridoxine daily and in 60 per cent of patients treated with 160-200 mg daily. Together with partial response (useful benefit but still some significant complaints), the positive effect of the treatment increased to 65-68 per cent and 70-88 per cent respectively. No symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy were reported

Pumpkin seeds are rich in tryptophan and zinc and research shows that a functional food made from these seeds actually helps with social anxiety.

Here are a few minor discrepancies in the above sections:

In #1 dopamine is not a calming brain chemical but instead it’s stimulating and helps with focus and motivation. The B vitamin mentioned contain folic acid whereas methyl folate is the preferred choice.

In #2 the GABA product recommended is 500mg and I find starting much lower is a more effective approach with my clients.

#3 Cue calm – open a worry window

Opening a worry window is a new approach for me and I’d love to hear if it helps you now or has helped you in the past.

Anti-anxiety gummies and low serotonin

Ali Miller, RD, shares a recipe for anti-anxiety gummies (you can see it in the PDF) and I love that it includes coconut water, ginger and turmeric. I’d replace the cup of orange juice (which is high in sugar) with water and use 2 tablespoons instead. Be sure to watch that these gelatin gummies don’t make your anxiety (or depression or sleep worse). It’s a small amount of gelatin but if you’re eating a lot of them and you’re prone to low serotonin, this may be a problem for you. I write about this in a blog post here – Collagen and gelatin lower serotonin: does this increase your anxiety and depression? If it does cause an adverse reaction it doesn’t mean you can’t eat them, instead it simply means you may need to take tryptophan when eating them (if low serotonin is the issue.

I’d love to hear if any of these approaches have helped you or your clients/patients. Keep in mind that it’s a fun article that is by no means comprehensive in terms of addressing all the possible root causes of anxiety.

Cooking for Hormone Balance, a new book by my dear friend Magdalena Wszelaki, a hormone expert and chef and now author. It’s a magnificent book with a refreshingly unique combination of sage advice for hormone balancing, together with wonderfully delicious and therapeutic recipes and meal plans. It will inspire all of us women to fall in love with hormone balancing cooking plus guide us in learning to listen to our bodies as our hormones become more balanced!

The hormone quiz is great and the hormone overview comprehensive. It’s a

There is also excellent coverage of gut health, low blood sugar and blood sugar balance, and the importance of the liver in hormone health. I love the 3-legged stool analogy!

The dairy reintroduction categories are practical – with explanations about cow and goat dairy and fermented dairy – not something we often see addressed.

I love the PFF breakfast (protein/fat/fiber), the 14-day meal plans, the fun tips like using the lemon rind and why, the section on castor oil packs, the seed rotation rationale/recipes, the Food Apothecary with superfoods and herbs and spices, and the fabulous healing teas. I also I love that this approach encompasses Paleo, AIP, Anti-candida and Low fodmaps

And of course, I love the recipe section, with all the beautiful and yummy images and the lovely blurb above each recipe – it feels like Magdalena is right here in the kitchen with me.

These are some of my favorite recipes: Coconut Yogurt, the Hearty Beef Stew, the Zucchini Olive Muffins, the Seriously Mushroom Soup, and the Raspberry and Green Tea Lime Melties (this last one is also my favorite picture in the book).

I’ve even had the good fortune of having Magdalena actually make some of these recipes for me and some colleagues at a conference (how lucky were we): the Farmer’s Wife Breakfast and the Decadent Chocolate Cherry Smoothie (I switched out the chocolate for carob and added some extra protein powder).

I can’t wait to try the Grain-Free Pizza with a topping of medicinal mushrooms, the Tart Cherry Sorbet, and Kudzu Calming Pudding!

It’s a recipe book (and much more) and I highly recommend it for all women and for practitioners who work with women. I know many of you – my community of anxious women and practitioners – are already enjoying it and it’s a book I’ll be recommending over and over again!

Seed Rotation Method

Magdalena’s been teaching the seed rotation method and helping thousands of women for several years and it’s covered in detail in the book.

It can help you if you’re struggling with PMS, irregular periods or lack of periods and if you’re going through perimenopause or are already menopausal. The seed rotation method is a simple, natural yet effective way to help us women rebalance our hormones.

This technique starts with flaxseed and pumpkin seeds to help rebalance estrogen levels. The second rotation requires sunflower and sesame seeds to help increase progesterone levels. The seed rotation technique has been taught to naturopaths as one of the first step in balancing hormones naturally and now you can learn how from Magdalena.

If you don’t yet have a copy of the book you can download the wonderful guide called Seed Rotation for Hormone Balance and learn how to implement this technique. In this guide you will discover:

How seeds can help painful PMS, irregular cycles, no periods or mid-cycle spotting

How to overcome menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and mid-belly fat

Julia Rucklidge, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand and has published a number of studies looking at “micronutrients to treat psychiatric disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disorders, stress, and anxiety,” where benefits were reported. “Despite the positive benefits associated with micronutrients, some factors may limit a positive response, one of which may be the overgrowth of intestinal Candida.”

a number of factors influence optimal response and absorption of nutrients, including the health of the gut, particularly the presence of yeast infections, such as Candida.

As part of a wider investigation into the impact of micronutrients on psychiatric symptoms, many participants who experienced a yeast infection during their treatment showed a diminished response to the micronutrients.

One particular female client was followed for a 3-year period:

Kate (an alias) is a 24-year-old female of European descent who had participated in the 2010 trial by Rucklidge et al using micronutrients for the treatment of ADHD. In the past, she had been prescribed methylphenidate [Ritalin] by a psychiatrist but could not tolerate the side effects.

For just over 2 years, while using the micronutrient, she had no ADHD or mood symptoms, other than a mild increase around her period.

About 2.5 years participating in the trial, Kate started to feel increasingly unwell and reported the following:

(1) a chronic sore throat; (2) a constant runny nose; (3) cramps; (4) itchy toes, anus, and vagina; (5) rashes on her legs and groin area; and (6) an overall flu-like feeling. Concomitantly, all her psychiatric symptoms had returned… She was moody, anhedonic (unable to experience pleasure), and chronically irritable and was having cravings for sugary and starchy foods. Kate visited her family physician, who diagnosed Kate with a vaginal yeast infection

Over the next year, it was found that her psychiatric symptoms (ADHD and mood) got worse when she was infected with Candida and then her ADHD and mood symptoms improved once she was successfully treated with olive leaf extract and probiotics.

The study makes this conclusion about the role of inflammation, gut health and nutrient absorption:

This case outlines that micronutrient treatment might be severely compromised by infections such as Candida and may highlight the importance of gut health when treating psychiatric disorders with nutrients.

Given the role that inflammation can play in absorption of nutrients, it was hypothesized that the infection was impairing absorption of the micronutrients.

The authors also mention the growing body of literature on the gut-brain connection and how

Candida is always considered as one of many possible root causes with my anxious clients – it can contribute to anxiety as well as ADHD and depression, and out-of-control-sugar and intense carb cravings.

Olive leaf extract is one of many approaches for eliminating candida is more commonly used in Australia and New Zealand.

Another approach is to use garlic and oregano to kill the candida. I have great success with these products from Designs for Health:

Allicillin – a garlic product that contains Garlicillin®, a blend of garlic oil and parsley oil with specified levels of garlic sulfides and ajoene, the most bioactive compound formed from garlic and

Oil of Oregano – which has powerful antioxidant and intestinal cleansing benefits. It also helps to maintain a healthy microbial balance. This product is standardized for carvacrol and thymol, the principal phenolic compounds in oregano

Probiotics are also part of the protocol, as are dietary changes. Fresh garlic, onion, daikon, olive oil, coconut oil, lemon, apple cider vinegar, fermented vegetables and coconut oil are all therapeutic foods on an anti-candida diet.

In addition to killing the candida and restoring the good bacteria with probiotics, I also use targeted individual amino acids to help reduce the sugar and carb cravings, making it easier to quit the bread, sugar, cookies, cakes and fruit. These amino acids can also help to alleviate some of the anxiety, mood and ADHD symptoms from day one, offering relief and hope right away since eliminating candida is not a quick process:

tryptophan for afternoon cravings and mental worry (tryptophan also has some direct anti-candida effects – more to come on this in the future blog)

[all of the above supplements, including Allicillin, Oil of Oregano, various probiotics and an olive leaf product, called Olivirex Combination, can be ordered via my online store – details for creating an account on my supplements page. The category once you login is candida/dysbiosis]

Have you experienced anxiety, depression, panic attacks, ADHD and cravings with candida?

Have supplements that worked in the past stop working while you’re dealing with the candida?

Have you found the amino acids to help with anxiety and cravings while you’re addressing your candida?

Two schizoaffective patients of Dr. Chris Palmer, a psychiatrist from Harvard’s McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, tried a ketogenic diet for weight loss. As well as losing weight, they experienced reductions in auditory hallucinations and delusions, had a better mood and had more energy.

The male patient: lost weight, reductions in auditory hallucinations and delusions, better mood and energy

The male patient, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, with a prior psychiatric history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and major depression, experienced “dramatic” reductions in auditory hallucinations and delusions, as well as better mood and energy on the ketogenic diet. He also lost weight, losing 104 pounds over the course of a year.

He weighed 322 lb and wanted to lose weight by following a ketogenic diet, typically consisting of coffee with medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil and butter (“bulletproof coffee”), eggs, meat, fish, poultry, spinach, kale, and olive oil. Within 3 weeks, he had lost 15 lb, but also noted a dramatic reduction in his auditory hallucinations and delusions, and improvement in his mood, energy, and ability to concentrate. For the past year, he has largely remained on this ketogenic diet and has lost 104 lb.

His functioning has improved and he has become more independent:

He completed a certification course, successfully participates in an online college program, has friends, began dating, and moved from his father’s home into an independent apartment.

The female patient: lost weight, resolution of her delusions

After four weeks on the ketogenic diet, the female patient, also diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, and with a prior psychiatric history of major depression and anorexia nervosa, had resolution of her delusions and lost ten pounds:

she wanted to lose weight, and went on a ketogenic diet, consisting mostly of coffee, eggs, poultry, and lettuce. Within 4 weeks, she lost 10 lb and noted that her delusions were no longer present, and that her mood and energy were much better. After 4 months, she lost a total of 30 lb and her PANSS score decreased to 70 [down from 107]

In both instances their symptoms returned when they stopped the diet, but then improved again when back on the ketogenic diet.

In case you’re not familiar with the ketogenic diet here is a quick summary:

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat / low carbohydrate [and low protein] diet that has been used since the 1920’s to treat childhood epilepsy, with some studies suggesting that over 50% of patients experience significant reductions in seizure frequency. The ketogenic diet results in ketone bodies, instead of glucose, being used as the primary energy source in the brain.

There simply is no psychiatric medication available with the power to accomplish these results

These outcomes are truly remarkable: improvement by dozens of points on the PANSS, significant weight loss, and better quality of life. There simply is no psychiatric medication available with the power to accomplish these results.

I agree with Dr. Ede especially when we look at the medications these patients had trialed. These medication trials for the male patient: methylphenidate, amphetamine salts, dextroamphetamine, bupropion, sertraline, paroxetine, buspirone, lamotrigine, lorazepam, clonazepam, gabapentin, haloperidol, perphenazine, aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and clozapine. The female patient had a similarly long list of medication trials and she also received 23 electroconvulsive therapy treatments. For both of them, positive and negative symptoms persisted.

If this particular nutritional psychiatry approach works so well for severe mental health disorders such as schizophrenia and psychosis, how will it work for less severe conditions like anxiety and panic attacks? Are these severe cases like the “canaries in the coal-mine” paving the way and teaching us about the benefits of this way of eating?

Should you use a ketogenic dietary approach as the first approach or consider it as a last resort once the other dietary approaches have been implemented and you’re not seeing full symptom resolution? In other words, should you start with a real whole foods diet, then implement a gluten-free diet, then a grain-free diet, then remove dairy (if it’s an issue), then incorporate low FODMAPs if needed and only then implement a ketogenic diet? (low oxalate, low salicylate and low histamine would be incorporated as needed earlier in the process, based on each person’s unique needs). If we look only at schizoaffective disorder, there is growing evidence of the role of gluten in some individuals with this paper “suggesting that an antigliadin IgG positive population of schizophrenia could be a distinct subgroup.” This 2 person pilot study reports the benefits of a gluten-free diet: “this potential mechanism is exciting and may provide improvement for up to one-fourth of patients (antibody-positive) who suffer from this devastating disorder.”

How do we clearly define a ketogenic diet and communicate this definition to practitioners and to those who choose to implement this way of eating on their own? I’ve had feedback from many people who tell me they have been on a ketogenic diet (and it’s worked well for them or maybe it hasn’t worked so well for them), only to discover they are not really eating a true ketogenic diet. How do we simplify this way of eating and make it easy for individuals to understand and then stay in ketosis?

How do we create a ketogenic diet that is nutrient dense and also offers the benefits seen in this research. I have major concerns about long-term nutritional deficiencies with a diet of coffee, eggs, poultry, and lettuce (as eaten by the female patient in this case study). It should ideally include plenty of leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus etc. and healthy fats like avocado, grass-fed butter and coconut oil, together with fermented vegetables and bone broths. I’m also not convinced that coffee should be part of the ketogenic diet, especially if coffee increases your anxiety and affects your sleep.

How do we help individuals make the switch to this way of low carb eating and help them maintain so they don’t feel deprived and are not relying on willpower alone? As you can see from these 2 cases, the diet can be challenging to sustain and slip ups are common. If you are eating enough health fats (and it’s a lot more than you’re used to eating), this typically helps with cravings. If you still have cravings and feel you are deprived and missing out on treats, the targeted individual amino acids offer powerful results: tryptophan (for afternoon cravings), GABA (for stress eating), DPA (for comfort eating), tyrosine (when there is low motivation) and glutamine (for low blood sugar cravings).

Is the ketogenic diet the next big fad or weight-loss trend as we’re hearing in the media? Based on the above research it truly does have impressive therapeutic benefits beyond only weight-loss. So can we see similar benefits with a modified ketogenic diet, using intermittent fasting and/or cycling in and out of ketosis, and even adding in a ‘feasting day’ of carbs?

Who shouldn’t adopt a ketogenic diet? For example: those with the APOE4 gene, women with adrenal and hormone issues, and individuals with thyroid issues and no gallbladder? The question then becomes this: of those suffering with anxiety and depression or another mental health disorder, who doesn’t have one of these issues? And how do we address the keto rash, constipation, fat malabsorption, fatigue, mineral deficiencies and other issues some people experience on a ketogenic diet?

Right now, this is my thinking: as with any nutritional or functional medicine approach, I would say there is no one-size-fits all for who should implement a ketogenic diet (we need to consider the unique biochemistry of each person) and there is no one set ketogenic diet (it will need to be customized for each person).

I’m hoping to get answers to many of these questions on the upcoming Keto Edge Summit (May 7-13, 2018), hosted by ketogenic diet expert, Dr. David Jockers. If you have similar questions, be sure to tune in too. I’m going to reach out to Dr. Jockers for an interview too.

I’m also hoping to do my own interview with Dr. Palmer to discuss his interest in the ketogenic diet for mental health, to learn more about these cases and other patients he’s seen success with. Feel free to post your questions for Dr. Palmer (and Dr. Jockers) here and I’ll be sure to get them addressed. We certainly appreciate Dr. Palmer for sharing these results so we can all learn, and also appreciate his patients for being willing to share their stories.

Please do share if you’ve adopted a ketogenic diet and the benefits you have experienced, and if you experienced any issues. Be sure to share what a typical day’s diet looks like for you.